A/N: Happy New Year, everyone! :D

Chapter 13: Welcome to Feros

You know, this place is very poorly translated during its mission in the game. Not in terms of art style, but the feeling of the atmosphere itself. The debilitating gray walls that make up the tower we docked at match the game's design on an almost uncanny level (which is only surprising to me because of how different Therum felt). But the level of destruction and planetary conditions here are just horrifying. The air was covered in a haze of dust—small enough for us to see through it, but also enough for me to have a coughing fit and my eyes to water as soon as we stepped off the ship. Not only that, but it's also pretty chilly here as well, some like 50 degrees or so. It may not seem like much, but I'm Floridian; I'm just not used to that kind of temperature.

Either way, it's a good thing Ash convinced me to wear a jacket. Here I was thinking it would be hot here on Feros, since I always saw Noveria as the polar opposite (Ha! Polar!...Bad joke?). Though, that's not the reason she insisted I wore one. She figured if I still wasn't going to be out in armor, I should wear an extra layer of clothes underneath the shield harness. So, on top of the black jumpsuit I've got on, I'm also wearing a dark navy blue jacket with some rough padding on it. And, being a jacket built in the future, it came with some pretty cool doohickeys. Like titanium based fibers, strong enough to protect me from any minor physical injuries (no defense against guns, but, hey, that's what the shields are for) and it also comes with tech that resembles something similar to seat warmers. Doesn't save me in a combat situation, but at least I'll be warm and cozy!

A balled fist taps my arm lightly, "Weapons ready, bud." Kaidan says.

"Right." I reach my right arm over my shoulder and grab the Mattock off of the one magnetic holster the harness has. Once it's in both hands, I clicked the safety off and made sure to keep my finger away from the trigger. I've gotten better at carrying it, but my arms still ache after holding it for long periods of time. It's worth it though; kind of reminds me of practicing drill movements in JROTC. After awhile, I should get used to the weight of the thing.

I fall in with the rest of the team as we make our way through the port. The walkway was somewhat narrow, but we were doing a good job of keeping ourselves well spaced, I think. Oh, and another thing, instead of bringing only two people on missions, Shepard takes everyone. I thought Therum was a special occasion, what with having to create a distraction for the rest of the team to get in and save Liara, but nope. Turns out, we all come along. Which, now that I think about it, makes a lot of sense. In the games, the SR1 crew members always look back and are all like: "yeah, just like old times." But anyone could go through the entire game only choosing the same two people over and over again.

Anyway, I'm getting off topic. I was walking next to Ashley and we were behind Shepard and Kaidan, who were taking the lead. Ash says my name, so I turn my head to her, "What's up?" I ask.

She holsters her own assault rifle and reaches her hand out to me, "Can I see your Mattock for a sec?"

"At least take me on a date first." I quipped, smirking as I handed her my rifle.

"Not even in your dreams," she replied, with a roll of her eyes. She swipes her omni-tool against the gun and a little blue icon appears just before the barrel starts, "Here, now it fires disruptor ammo. Once we run into the Geth, these bullets will cut right through them, and their shields too."

Alright! Disruptor ammo, baby! These will definitely prove to be useful, "Thanks," I say, taking the weapon back, "you think we'll be running into them soon?"

"I don't know," she hushed, "but I'm not taking any chances..." Her eyes showed a little something I wasn't used to seeing on her, before she blinked it away, and her resolve bolstered.

As we continued on, I noticed a figure standing up ahead of us, leaning against one of the walls along the edge of the walkway. I think that's the guy who informs us about Fai Dan, isn't it? He's gonna get fucked up by a rocket, I think? Once we got a little closer, he bounces himself off the wall and approaches Shepard.

"We saw your ship land," He deadpans, "Fai Dan wants to speak with you immediately."

His voice sounds so...weird. Has the Thorian already taken control of the colonists, yet? I was never made clear of that in the game...

"Who's Fai Dan?" Shepard asks.

"He is our leader," he explains, "he needs your help to prepare for the Geth. We believe they're making another push." He points a thumb over his shoulder, "Please. Up the stairs, past the freighter."

Wait...isn't this when—?

"Enemy contacts, find some cover!" Garrus announces before the crack of a sniper bullet echoes in the docking bay. All of us scramble for a piece of cover, including Fai Dan's guy. I guess the one Garrus killed was the same one that shoots the rocket at him. Way to save a life there, bud! A shot bounces off my shield, suddenly reminding me I'm in a firefight. There wasn't much to really hide behind, so it was like two people behind each piece of cover. I couldn't see where everyone else was, but Ash and I were behind an orange and black crate.

I peeked my head outside the bubble of protection to get a view of what was happening. Shepard and Kaidan were doing something similar to Ash and I, both taking turns on throwing attacks. Garrus traded his sniper for his assault rifle, training his fire on a Geth unit I couldn't see. Tali, who was next to him flashed her omni-tool at their direction (again, I couldn't see which unit) and retreated back to cover. Liara fired a certain amount of rounds before glowing blue and sending a singularity their way.

"We need to get out of this position, it's too narrow!" Shepard calls out.

"I'm on it." Wrex replies, gravelly. I turn to face him just as he himself glows blue and charges towards the enemy. The aura surrounding him seems to diminish slowly as he reaches them, but by then, he channels it into what I think looks like a warp and sends it into Liara's singularity. Once the two energies make contact, an explosion occurs, effectively deactivating the Geth units at the end of the walkway.

Oh my god, that was so goddamn fucking beautiful!

With them gone, it gives us a chance to move up. Shepard's voice beeps into our radio, "Garrus, Chief, stay here and give us sniper support. The rest of you, with me!" My last look at Ash was her taking out her sniper rifle, and Garrus did the same.

I bound over to the new cover space and crouch next to Liara. She was in the light gray alliance armor, like Kaidan was wearing, only a more smaller framed version. I'm surprised no one's given me crap about that yet, how she can wear the armor and I can't. Eh, their minds are probably focused on more important things...Like this firefight I keep trailing away from.

I look over the little ridge we were using for cover, spotting five geth units left. One put up a barrier while the other four worked it out among themselves. Wrex stayed in cover this time, firing back with his assault rifle as each side traded shots. A sniper bullet whipped through the air, deactivating one and pushing another out of hiding. I took this as my opportunity and raised my rifle at it. My finger squeezed the trigger instinctively and hit the AI in the chest, it's shield flickering off. I fired two more shots before it went down with a metallic cry.

From the corner of my eye, I spot Shepard and Tali moving up, cover to cover, with shotguns in hand. Liara stands up out of hiding and throws an arm upwards with one swift motion. The sound the attack had made gave me an idea of what it was, but it was confirmed as one of the rocket troopers get biotically pulled out of cover. A blast of electricity strikes at it in the air, resulting in its flashlight head to spark off. I'm not sure our two snipers saw that though, so they over-killed it with two of their own shots. I almost felt sorry for the damn thing.

Tali and Shepard take a mirrored covered position just before the planted barrier. The Commander looks back at Wrex and he responds by firing all of his bullets into the barrier, eventually breaking it but overheating his weapon. Once it was down, both women wasted no time blasting the two remaining units away. One sputtered to death immediately, while the other fell on the floor, one leg missing. It too met it's end, however, as Shepard concentrated biotic energy to her foot and heavily curb stomped it.

"Area secure, Commander." Tali mentions.

"Damn right it's cleared, baby!" I exclaimed, as we all regrouped on Shepard's position, "We took on that squadron of Geth and made them our bitches, bruh!"

"Bruh?" Liara asks with big eyes, "Is that a word, or did my translator glitch?"

"Don't worry about it, Liara," Kaidan says, just before he swipes his hand against the back of my neck, "He's just being an idiot."

I glared daggers to the back of his head as I rubbed my 'missing' neck. I told Kaidan about necking just after our mission debrief, so now we have sort of a thing going on with that. Not sure he understands the rules, though, or the concept of a bad joke...Well, I guess it was pretty cringe. Eh, I'll give it to him. Liara and I followed Kaidan until we reached the Commander. Ashley and Garrus fell in behind us, along with Fai Dan's man.

Shepard spoke first, "Are you hurt?" She asked, one hand outstretched.

He rubs his hands together, nervously, "Just a little shook up. But, I'd be a lot worse if it weren't for your man, here." He looks to Garrus, "Never thought I'd be thanking a Turian for saving my life, but..." He shakes his head before slightly bowing, "...Thank you."

"Sure," Garrus nods.

The man looks down at the demolished Geth forces, "You guys took them down like it was no problem at all! If anyone's going to make a difference here, it's you."

I smile unconsciously at that. It just feels good to be categorized with them...

"How long ago did the attacks start?" Shepard inquired to the man.

"Just a few days ago. Everything was normal, same mundane, dusty shit as always." He explains, "Then our scanners started going all out of whack and our communications tower soon went with it."

"Got any idea why they're here?"

He shakes his head, "Not in the slightest. I mean, we're just a small bunch of scientists and construction workers, for god's sake!"

"They been attacking like this often?" Ashley asks, gesturing to the dead geth. He nods his head, "You guys don't have a defense force?"

"Yeah, well...sort of. It's ExoGeni security—but they've got nothin' on you guys." He turns to Shepard, "Look, I just build stuff mam. I don't know all the details, but, Fai Dan does. He knows about everything going on. Once we get back to Zhu's Hope, he can tell you all you need to know."

"Guess that's where we're going then," She signals all of us, "Let's move out."

With that, we all seem to fall back into the same formation we had before the fight started, though this time, I was towards the back, and we were all being much more cautious with our surroundings. We only got about five minutes into the hallway before a delicate finger tapped my shoulder. When I turned to it, I saw that it was Liara, using one hand to cover her words as she got closer to me.

Her voice was just above a whisper, "What does: 'bruh' mean?"

"Here we are, Commander. ...Zhu's Hope."

Wow...this...this looks nothing like it does in the game. The spots are all the same, but the level of tragedy is...overwhelming...

Metal barriers faced the entrance, manned by poor excuses for guards as they fought over securing an area that may or may not have Geth in it. Both clearly terrified of pursuing the task. Fallen debris blanket the corners of the courtyard, with some small fires still lingering from what was most likely a recent attack. There was a man on the floor clinging to his friend, both of them with tears running down their ashy cheeks. I don't think the one on the floor can move, especially with his leg twisted in such a way...It's like everything below his knee cap was...I shudder at the sight of it. By the water system, a woman was frustratingly beating on it, in a desperate attempt to get it working again.

We followed Fai Dan's guy (who goes by the name David) up to the building in the center, where I spotted a Salarian clutching his head in tears, mumbling something to himself. I'm not sure I've ever seen a Salarian cry before. What I saw next, however, was on a whole 'nother scale. I caught something white just before following my teammates into the building, so I went to check it out instead. I edged around the building until I turned the corner, which is when I saw it. Rows, upon rows, upon rows, of bodies covered in sheets, along with a foul stench that polluted the air. My chest tightened as I became very aware of my own breathing.

I had no idea the actual damage the Geth attack caused here was so severe...It's like Eden Prime, all over again. So many people dead, for nothing. Some of the bodies had a few colonists surrounding them, mourning the deceased. One in particular had a little girl, bawling her eyes out as another woman (presumably her mother) tried to console her. Is this what being in a warzone feels like? God...

I felt a hand gently grip my shoulder, "Come on," Ash whispered in a lull tone, "We shouldn't fall behind."

She tried to pull me away, but my feet felt cemented into the ground, "Do you see this?"

She gives it a hard look before swallowing thickly, "Yeah...It's horrible."

"Horrible? This is—" The words caught in my throat, "I don't even know what to call this..."

She exhales deeply through her nostrils, before grabbing my shoulders with both hands so I faced her directly, "Listen to me. I know it's hard to see, but things like this happen almost everyday in the galaxy. Terrible things." She gazes at the bodies and then back at me, "There'll be time to mourn them later. But right now, we can make things right for the ones that are still alive. So I need you to stay focused, okay? Can you do that for me?"

Taking one final look at the bodies, I press my lips into a firm line and nod to her. She smiles somberly and presses her hand against my back, leading me towards the direction of the door. Once we were inside, all I could think about was this sick feeling that invaded the pit of my stomach. As we reached the end of the hall, I ducked my head under an arm after I placed it on the wall. Slowly, I began to breathe in and out until the feeling eventually faded, especially when Ash started rubbing my back. The familiar gesture reminded me of how my mom did it whenever I got a stomach virus.

After I thanked Ash, the two of us stepped outside, and we regrouped with the others. Liara seemed to be the only one who noted our absence (the only one who acknowledged it anyway) and she asked if I was okay, to which I replied, saying I was fine. I wasn't, but Ash was right, there'd be time to talk about it later. At the moment, Shepard I think is in mid-conversation with Fai Dan, who looks hella, old by the way. Might be all the stress getting to him, though. A whole colony to look after and yet you're powerless to protect them? I sure wouldn't want that job...

The Tan woman in the light armor next to Fai Dan just said something to Shepard. I didn't hear what she said, but I distinctly remember her saying it in a bitchy manner, which explains why Fai Dan just scolded her right after.

"Sorry Commander. Everyone's on edge since—" He was cut off by the sound of the clicking geth language.

"Watch out!" Arcelia (the tan woman) exclaimed. But she didn't have to tell any of us.

We all each had our weapons out and immediately took for cover. Mine was a large piece of stone that stuck out the middle of the ground, and Liara placed herself in the spot next to me. I could see Shepard and Garrus on a similar stone wall across the 'fatal funnel', Garrus shooting back with his Vindicator. Suddenly, Shepard started to glow and the air around became slightly distorted as she jumped out of cover, clipped something off her belt, and threw a disc at the two geth blocking the entry way. There was a loud boom and I felt the ground rumble softly, before Shepard said, "Let's push in!"

She took the lead, her pistol pointed in front of her as we all followed her into what I think is an apartment complex. Inside, the halls were narrow, so we made sure to keep our distance from one another. Though, that also meant that only a few of us could push through at a time. I was at the back of the formation, but I could see the second floor's entrance from here, so I trained my Mattock on it and waited for either an enemy or Shepard to pass my line of sight. Once she did, I quickly rejoined the rest of the team.

Upstairs you could hear the colonists, screaming and crying for help. "Don't let me die!" one of them said, just before a rocket blew up near his face and...well, I turned my head away after that. Wrex charged into the second level and tackled a shock trooper, throwing off the one that was next to it before Kaidan biotically threw it against the wall. It didn't get up after that. Wrex still had the other one in his hand until he dropped it on the floor and finished it off with a shotgun blast to the face.

We all entered the second floor after that, skimming past another entrance to somewhere as well as the elevator that takes you up to the sky-way. All we had to do was follow the clicks, and eventually we were outside again. This area was much bigger, with an elongated walkway connecting to a slope that then mimics it. Broken chunks missing off the walls and what was undoubtedly the ceiling, provided us with some cover for the battle. The roof was missing, instead the dark sky was lidded by a huge Geth ship. Green beams of light shot out of it, producing a few Geth shock troopers to continue fighting us on the ground.

Jesus, it's like they don't ever stop!

We all jumped for a good sheltered position. I, along with Tali, Garrus, and Liara, sprinted up the slope to the higher ground. I felt a few bullets impact my shields just before my back made contact with the chest high obstacle. My other three companions settle down next to me before Garrus' voice enters my ear.

"Shepard, we'll get rid of the ones up here!" His flanging voice gave it a bit of significance to go along with it.

"We'll take the ones down here, then!" She yelled back while under fire.

The ex-detective turned to me, "Can you and Tali get up close?"

I was absolutely dumbfounded, "Me? W-why don't you get closer?"

He attaches his assault rifle to his back before taking out his sniper, "Because then while you two are moving up, Liara and I can provide long range support: with her biotics and my sniper. We'll corner them to the point where they won't know who to fire on."

I know it's a plan that would work—hell, we've been doing it this whole time—but I still wasn't too eager to be the one in the front. Even if it does make me look like a coward... "B-but I have a Mattock, I can shoot from a fair distance."

His brow plates shift as he narrows his eyes at me, "Are you absolutely sure you won't miss?" I opened my mouth to speak, but self-doubt eventually took over, "Next time, then." He says in a decisive tone. He looks at both me and Tali, "When I give the signal, move up."

We both nod our heads and I felt Liara place a hand on my arm, "Do not worry, I will protect you."

Those words were like a morning slap in the face after waking up hungover on New Years day. She's gonna protect me? I mean, I know she's a bad ass and only gets even more so down the road, but...She joined after I did, so it should be me protecting her, not the other way around. Taking a deep breath, I suddenly succumb to equanimity and grip the handle on my rifle firmly. I charged into a squad of geth troopers back on Therum, and that was in open space. This will be much easier than that.

"Go!"

Just like that, Tali and I jumped over the obstacle and sprinted towards another piece of debris. I instantly felt bullets bounce off my shields but they lessened slightly after a sniper shot boomed through the air. I heard the AI shriek, but didn't spot when it hit the ground. My heart was pounding in my ears by the time I got to the fallen rock. Tali was just a little behind, but she was across the way from me, behind another piece of broken rooftop. A Geth shock trooper was moving up out of her line of sight to attack her from a blind spot, but it didn't see me. I fired two quick shots into it, breaking through its shield before triggering three more times, causing it to sputter and fall to the ground.

I felt a change in the space behind me along with a low pitch squeak. At least I think it was a squeak or...something. Regardless, I turn around to see a Geth trooper locked in place by a stasis. I automatically looked to Liara who was still glowing blue, but before I could attack the trooper, a bunch of sparks fly out of it, letting out a painful metallic cry before deactivating on the floor. I nodded to Liara and then gave a thumbs up to Tali. That was one hell of an overload for it to go down with one hit.

There was only one left. Now if I can just take a quick peek at what its got—it suddenly became headless—I can go back into cover... The Geth ship above us finally seems to take a hint and emits a high-pitched whistle as it flies away, making us victorious in battle.

I exhaled deeply, feeling my shoulders drop and my body loosen up. I didn't know I tensed up in the first place, but then, why wouldn't I have? Tali, Liara, Garrus, and I walk down the slope onto lower ground, where Shepard and the others were. As we approached them I offer a fist to Wrex, but he just stares at it pointedly.

"It's a fist bump," I told him.

His glare hardens at me, "I know what it is."

"And you're just gonna leave me hangin' here?" His cold stare was unfaltering, "Ooookay, then..." I feel like I should offer a fist bump to the others, but now I just feel awkward doing it. Dammit, Wrex, you killed my vibe...

Once we we're all together, we unintentionally formed a little circle and Kaidan spoke, "I doubt that'll be the last of them, but it should keep the colony safe for now."

"Not permanently, but hopefully it'll buy us enough time to find a more definite solution." Ash says.

"And find out why they are here in the first place." Liara added.

"We should start heading back, Commander," Garrus chimes in, "The colony's leader would probably like an update."

The first human Spectre nods her head, "Let's go speak to Fai Dan."

A/N: It feels oh so good to be back :D I know there was a lot of action and less dialogue in this chapter, but I figured after four chapters of just dialogue, the story was due an action heavy chapter, you know? Lemme know what you thought of it, please!

The Feros mission will last about three or four chapters, maybe five depending on how tight I am on time, but we'll see how it goes. But, speaking of time: I have a New Years resolution! To finish this story by the end of the year! So, from now on, I'll be posting on a 10-14 day schedule. Hopefully, that's alright with you guys? And if it's not done by September or something, I'll have to put my other story on hold so I can finish it. Lord knows I shouldn't have taken that hiatus a year ago... Oh well, you reap what you sow, right?

Anyway, until next time, see ya! :)